Atlantic Council official Damon Wilson told the Voice of America that the delivery of Russian armored vehicles to Serbia is harmful and irresponsible.

A country that is on its way to the European Union should not accept weapons from Moscow, the Atlantic Council Executive Vice President said, adding that the supply of Russian arms to Serbia is an attempt to obstruct the normalization of the situation in the region.  

“Serbia’s road to the EU lies through a normalization of relations with Kosovo, not through arms from Moscow. As long as Kosovo is an open issue we will see Russian attempts and Serbian games all of them through controversial relations,” Wilson said, adding that he realizes that Russia stands with Serbia in the UN in terms of the Kosovo issue.  

Asked to comment the statement by State Department official Mathew Palmer who said he hopes the Serbian opposition won’t boycott elections, Wilson said that he understands that the opposition is in a difficult position and noted that there is a trend to boycott elections and dispute the legitimacy of parliament in the Balkans.  

I have a lot of understanding for the difficult conditions facing the Serbian opposition. At the same time, it’s important for them to be talking to people and communities about their problems, get into the race, be responsible and fight for political ideas through available mechanisms while they try to improve the democratic process, Wilson said.